[KCDXC] Pacific DX-pedition

[Phil Whitchurch]

Hi there

I am writing to request some financial assistance from the Kansas City 
DX Club towards the cost of our forthcoming DX-pedition to French 
Polynesia next month and am pleased to set out as follows the answers to 
the most usual questions raised:

DX-pedition Callsigns: We hope to obtain a special callsign for each
location, but if this is not possible will use FO/G4MFW from one and
FO/G3SWH from the other.

Proposed Destination(s): Rurutu OR Tubai Island in the Austral group;
Marangeva Island in the Gambier group, Tahiti Island in the Society 
Islands group.

Date(s) of Operation: 10th to 24th July 2003

Applicant's Callsign: G3SWH

Name: Phil Whitchurch

Date of Application: 11th June 2003

Mailing Address: 21 Dickensons Grove
                          Congresbury
                          Bristol
                          BS49 5HQ
                          United Kingdom

Telephone: +44-193-483-2736

Email address: phil@g3swh.demon.co.uk

Is landing permission(s) needed? No

Has operating permission(s) been granted?  Yes

Modes of Operation: CW, SSB and RTTY

Bands of Operation:
160 80 40  30  20  17  15  12  10

QSL Manager Name: Phil Whitchurch and/or Barry Fletcher (to be
finalised)

QSL Manager Callsign: G3SWH and/or G4MFW

QSL Manager Mailing Address: To be finalised.

Place on "Most Needed" lists:

The Australs are # 63 in the 2003 425 DX News  Most Wanted survey.
French Polynesia is # 144 in the same survey.  ARRL currently shows the
Australs at #10, and French Polynesia is #214.  According to the DX
Magazine 2002 survey, the Australs are at # 50 in Europe and # 42 in
Europe on SSB.

Please list team members, including name, callsign, previous DX-pedition
and/or contesting experience and any other information you think would
be helpful in assessing the likelihood of success of the operation.

Barry Fletcher, G4MFW, ZS1FJ, ZL1MFW, has been licensed since 1972,
is a Committee member of the Cape Town Amateur Radio Club, the Cape
Town affiliate of the SARL and a keen DX-er on SSB only.  He has
operated as ZL8/G4MFW from Kermadec Is (IOTA OC-039), VR6AB from
Pitcairn Is (IOTA OC-044), FS/G4MFW (IOTA NA-105), FP/G4MFW (IOTA
NA-032), A22DX, FO/ZS1FJ from Gambier Is (IOTA OC-063), A35/G4MFW
(IOTA OC-169), 3D2FJ (IOTA OC-016), ZL1MFW from Stewart Is (IOTA
OC-203), Great Barrier Is (IOTA OC-201), North Is (IOTA OC-036), ZS64RI
(IOTA AF-064), ZS23I (IOTA AF-077), ZS26BI (IOTA AF-079), ZS31ER
(IOTA AF-085), GJ4MFW (IOTA EU-013), HB0/G4MFW, 7P8FJ, 4U1ITU,
4U1UN.

Phil Whitchurch, G3SWH has been licensed since 1963, is the current
President of FOC and a keen DX-er on CW only, has operated as
UI8A/G3SWH, GU6YB/P (IOTA EU-114), SV8/G3SWH (IOTA EU-067),
F/G3SWH/P (IOTAs EU-039, EU-068, EU-094), BY1QH/G3SWH,
5H3/G3SWH, 5H1/G3SWH (IOTA AF-032), GJ3SWH/P (IOTA EU-099),
FR/G3SWH IOTA AF-016), 5Z4LI IOTA AF-040), 9M6PWT IOTA OC-088),
5Z4WI IOTA AF-067), 4S7WHG/A (IOTA AS-003), 8Q7WH IOTA AS-013),
ZS1/G3SWH, 5R8HA IOTAs AF-013, AF-057, AF-090), ZS1/G3SWH and
ZS1RBN (IOTA AF-064).  QSL manager for 9M0C (1998), D68C (2001),
8Q7ZZ (2002) and ZF2NT, amongst others.

Rigs and antennas to be used:

1 x ICOM IC-706, 1 x Kenwood TS50S, 1 x R-7000 vertical, 1 x TA-33
Junior beam and wires for LF. Laptop computers for logging.

Expenses budget:

Each operator has a personal expenses budget of approximately US
$3,000 to cover air fares and accommodation etc.

Proposed income budget:

We do not anticipate any income other than sponsorship from DX clubs
and organisations similar to yours.  Each operator will be responsible 
for, and is happy to meet, his own expenses

Whilst we are happy to meet the full transportation and accommodation
costs of the expedition, we wish to apply for a grant towards our 
transport and living expenses on the islands and the cost of printing 
QSL cards.

We are happy to meet the costs of transport to and from the island,
but are looking for sponsorship and donations towards our living
expenses, printing QSLs and the like.  Any surplus will be equally
distributed between the operators to offset their personal 
contributions. Would your organisation be willing to make a modest 
contribution? Every
little helps!  Please do not send cheques in any currency other than
Sterling or bank notes in other than Sterling or US $.  Properly stamped
IRCs are also welcome

Special circumstances:

In addition, Rurufu counts as OC-050, Tubai counts as OC-152, Mangareva
counts as OC-063 and Tahiti counts as OC-046 for the Islands on the Air
(IOTA) award.

The actual dates of each operation are to be decided but we expect to be
on each island for several days.

Propagation permitting, our main objective is to work as many European,
North American and ROTW stations on as many bands as possible.

We have set an expedition target of 12,000 QSOs,  with an approximately
equal split between CW, RTTY and SSB.

In acknowledgement of for your support, we will be pleased to print your
club logo on the special QSL cards, to provide you with a copy of our 
write up and accompanying photographs and undertake to reply to all QSL
cards received, either direct or via the bureau.

I look forward to hearing from you in due course.

Should you have any queries or require any additional information,
please do not hesitate to contact me.

73 for now

-- 

Phil Whitchurch
G3SWH

Work is the curse of the drinking classes!